title: Calretinin immunohistochemistry: A new cost-effective and easy method for diagnosis of Hirschsprung's disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy of calretinin immunostaining in diagnosing Hirschsprung's disease (HD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty cases were studied over a period of 1 year (July 2010-June 2011). There were 36 full-thickness biopsies and 24 resected specimens. Calretinin processing was done on the paraffin-embedded blocks after routine histopathological examination.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 36 biopsy specimens, in 19 cases HD was diagnosed by hematoxylin and eosin (H and E) staining earlier. In 2 patients, ganglion cells were seen and HD was ruled out. In 15 cases, there was a diagnostic dilemma and calretinin was used. Ganglion cells were found in 3 specimens and nerve fibers in 5. In all 24 resected specimens, calretinin correlated with the findings on H and E staining.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Calretinin was extremely useful in solving the suspicious and indeterminate cases of HD. It can serve as a valuable cost-effective diagnostic aid in the centers where acetylcholinesterase enzyme histochemistry is not available.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Niloufer Hospital for Women and Children, Osmania Medical College, Hyderabad, India.
authors.forename: Lavanya
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kannaiyan
authors.forename: Sujani
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Madabhushi
authors.forename: Ramani
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Malleboyina
authors.forename: Narendra Kumar
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Are
authors.forename: K Ramesh
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Reddy
authors.forename: Bhuvaneshwar
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rao
keywords: Hirschsprung's disease; calretinin; immunohistochemistry